A Dog Needs a Bone (Book)

Wood, A. (2007). A dog needs a bone!. New York, NY: Blue Sky Press. ISBN: 0-545-00005-X

Interest Level: Ages 5 and under
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Dogs, Stories in Rhyme, Promises

Plot: A little yellow dog promises one thing after another if only his mistress will give him a bone to chew on.  He would be on his best behavior, do all the chores, and treat his mistress like a queen, if only he gets a bone.  Sad to find his mistress has left him alone, the dog naps in her bed.  He wakes to find she's returned from the store.  His mistress teases him with carrots, broccoli, and peas before finally giving the poor dog a bone.

Personal Thoughts: This is a very cute and nicely illustrated book.  The illustrations were made with crayon on brown paper bags and capture the expressions of the dog very well.  Reminiscent of a young child begging for a toy or treat, the dog's ability to keep his promises later might be questionable.  The mistress' teasing of the dog with vegetables is funny though it doesn't quiet encourage healthy eating in young children.  The rhyming in the story makes this book an easy read at storytimes.  A co-worker of mine did a felt board variation of the story that included pulling the vegetables and one big bone out of different paper bags.

Author's Website: Audrey Wood's Club House
Other Books by the Author: The napping house (1984); The Bunyans (1996); The flying dragon room (1996); Silly Sally (1991); Heckedy Peg (1987);